438 



THE 1RRIGA TION A GE. 



potash may be used in place of the kainit.. 



The ranker the green crop the greater 

 the benefits to be derived, consequently it 

 will pay well to apply double the above 

 quantity of fertilizer. Crimson clover fer- 

 tilized as above and turned under at mat- 

 urity for a turnip crop next season would 

 answer an excellent purpose. The clover 

 (and the same of peas) should be turned 

 under sufficiently early to at least partially 

 decompose before the turnips are seeded. 



When a fertilizer is applied to a gaeen 

 crop, as above, and turned under no further 

 fertilizer for the turnips will be required. 

 . The clover or peas as the case may be, 

 will return to the soil the phosphoric acid 

 and potash previously drawn from the acid 

 phosphate and kainit that were applied 

 direct. The vegetable matter while rotting 

 will add humus and other valuable prop- 

 erties to the soil thus largely increasing the 

 general fertility and productivness of same. 



In addition to this a heavy crop of clover 

 or cow peas will draw from the atmosphere 

 from 100 to 200 pounds of nitrogen per 

 acre. The quantity will of course vary 

 with conditions, but in order to be safe we 

 will take the smaller quantity, 100 pounds. 



,The nitrogen in commercial fertilizers 

 usually costs consumers from 20 to 28 cents 

 a pound. Counting it at 20 cents there 

 will be a clear gain of at least $20 per acre, 

 to say nothing of the other important ad- 

 vantages, from growing and turning either 

 one of said legume crops. When the 

 crop or clover or peas, as the case may be, 

 is turned under the nitrogen, gathered as 

 aforesaid, will also be returned to the soil 

 where it will be available for the turnips, 

 or any other crop that follow. Our farm- 

 ers all know what saltpetre is. They can 

 readily ascertain its active properties as a 

 fertilizer by applying the scrapings from 

 beneath old houses to the soil and noting 

 the result. These scrapings are strongly 

 impregnated with saltpetre. Touch a lump 

 of the dirt to the tongue and note the pun- 

 gent taste. Practically saltpetre, nitrogen 

 and nitrate of soda may be regarded by the 

 farmer as meaning the same thing, but 



there are different degrees of strength in- 

 the several substances. One hundred 

 pounds of nitrate of soda is equi^olent to 

 about 16s pounds of nitrogen. Consequen- 

 tly if you can virtually grow 100 pounds of 

 nitrogen per acre, as above described, it is 

 equivalent to about 600 pounds of nitrate 

 of soda. This fertilizer (nitrate of soda) 

 is regarded as the most convenient form, 

 for supplying nitrogen direct to the soil. 



It is mined in Chili. South America, 

 being dug out of the ground and is known 

 as Chili saltpetre. Owing to the great dis- 

 tance and to other causes not necessary to 

 state, nitrogen produced from nitrate of 

 soda, costs nearly three times as much per 

 pound as phosphoric acid or potash. These 

 three ingredients (nitrogen, phosphoric 

 acid and potash) constitute a perfect fer- 

 tilizer. The above plan of employing a> 

 legume crop will produce a heavy crop of 

 turnips and the fertility of the soil will at 

 the same time rapidly improve thereunder. 



But, as a portion of at least two seasons 

 will be necessary to prepare the soil the 

 plan is impractical for present purposes, 

 therefore in lieu of the foregoing construct 

 low ridges from 24 to 3 feet apart, and open 

 and deposit a liberal amount of stable 

 manure therein. A fertilizer composed of 

 the following ingredients may also be ap- 

 plied in the drills with the stable manure 

 at the rate of 500 pounds per acre; nitrogen 

 3 per cent, phosphoric acid 6 per cent and 

 potash 8 per cent. Run a plow in the drills 

 and mix the manure and fertilizer thor- 

 oughly with the soil. Then complete the 

 ridges and seed the turnips in the usual 

 way. 



The plants in the drills should be prop- 

 erly thinned and thoroughly cultivated 

 with a light narrow plow of suitable con- 

 struction. Two boys can easily do the 

 work, one holding, the other one pulling 

 the plow. By having the drills a little 

 wider apart a horse can be used in cultiva- 

 tion. 



Owing to the convenience of cultivation 

 sowing in drills will be found far more 

 qractical than broadcasting. 



Bryan Tyson. 



